Maria Kiselyova & Ece Toksabay

MOSCOW/ISTANBUL – The Interfax news agency reported that six Russian warships will be heading towards the Black Sea, originating from the Mediterranean, for drills.

Russia last month announced that its navy will stage an extensive set of exercises in which all of its fleets from the Pacific and Atlantic would participate in. This is the latest display of strength during the West’s standoff over Ukraine.

Turkish sources confirmed that the six vessels will pass through Turkey’s Straits on Tuesday and Wednesday to reach the Black Sea.

The Korolev, Minsk, and Kaliningrad are all set to navigate Bosphorus’s waters on Tuesday. On Wednesday, the Pyotr Morgunov (the Georgy Pobedonosets) and the Olenegorsky Gornyak will pass.

Russia is home to more than 100,000 soldiers near Ukraine’s border. Russia denies plans to invade, but seeks broad security guarantees. These include a commitment not to deploy missiles close its borders and an end of NATO’s military infrastructure.

If Russia took military action against Ukraine, Turkey as a NATO member could close the Straits of Transit legally.

Turkey has the authority to shut down all foreign warships during wartime, or when threatened by aggression. Yoruk Isik from Istanbul, geopolitical analysts, said that Turkey is authorized to block transit for merchant ships belonging countries at war.

Turkey is a country that shares the Black Sea with Russia, Ukraine, and Turkey. It has repeatedly stated its disapproval at any form of military conflict and told Moscow it would never invade.

The Turkish President Tayyip Turkey has however offered to help mediate the conflict between Moscow, Kyiv. Ankara is in cordial relationships with the two countries. Erdogan however says that NATO members will be able to help in the case of Russian invasion.

After Monday’s talks at the Kremlin with Vladimir Putin, the French president Emmanuel Macron indicated that it would be critical to the future of the dispute over Ukraine. Putin indicated that some progress was made during the negotiations.